Ukraine has captured two North Korean soldiers and taken them prisoner for the first time, transporting them to Kyiv for questioning in what the country’s security services say is “irrefutable evidence” of Pyongyang’s involvement in Russia’s war.

Both soldiers were captured on 9 January in the Russian border region of Kursk, Kyiv said.

Volodymyr Zelensky posted pictures of the two, saying “the world needs to know the truth about what is happening”.

One had his jaw bandaged due to an apparent wound.

Ukraine’s security service, known as the SBU, said one of the two had fake Russian identification documents. A third North Korean soldier was captured last month but died from injuries.